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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23042020">Bump</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrathNotRat/pseuds/WrathNotRat'>WrathNotRat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Before [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Childhood, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Joseph can't wait to be a big brother, Pre-Far Cry 5, Soft Seeds, Softness for Joseph, pre-game</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:28:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,856</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23042020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrathNotRat/pseuds/WrathNotRat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One Shot softness for Joseph. A day or so of childhood. Joseph is super excited about Bump. Soon, Joe will be a big brother and he can't wait.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Before [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1631734</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bump</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A few of you may know that I struggle to find humanity in Joseph Seed. I can only see it in his devastation, and his anger. That's not enough for me. </p>
<p>I wanted to see his happiness. Joseph already had Jacob as his protector, and his big brother, now I wish to see Joseph become excited about being a big brother to Bump.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Finally, she was asleep. </p>
<p>Joseph had waited hours and hours, shifting about on his cold bare feet against the familiar splinters of the wood beneath him. Joseph knew where to step, and where not to step. Which board creaks, which board shudders. </p>
<p>Jake had told him not to. Don't be a fool. You're gonna get caught. Just wait until it's born. </p>
<p>But Joseph couldn't wait. He wanted to listen to his little brother or sister currently growing inside his mother. </p>
<p>He had to be quick. Father could be home any minute.</p>
<p>Joseph tip toed to the edge of the bedroom door, lifting it up as high as it could go to prevent the creak as he turned the handle and nudged open the door. </p>
<p>There was mother, covered in blankets. The dim light through the threadbare curtains showed her frame, and the bump of the life inside of her.</p>
<p>Joseph eased inside the bedroom, nudging the door closed behind him. At 11 and 3/4 years old and stick thin, he was an expert at squirming his way up the side of the bed without causing disturbance. Mother never knew, or if she did, she never told him off. Just lay there, asleep or very, very quiet.</p>
<p>He dug his toes into the crease of the blanket, and rolled as he hit the top of the mattress, careful to not smack into mother. Eyes quickly flickered to the door, listening out for father, but nothing. Just the crickets outside, chirping against the night.</p>
<p>Joseph made himself comfortable, tucking an arm under his body, and a leg under the blanket to try to keep himself warm. Closing his eyes to make full use of the senses in his ear - something he had learned in school - he pressed his ear to the blanket covering the bump. </p>
<p>Just the sounds of his mother's insides squirming away. It used to frighten him, but now it was just normal. Then, a kick tapped his cheek. Bump was awake! It knew Joseph was here. </p>
<p>Joseph whispered to the bump through the blanket, he reminded Bump everyday. Mustn't let Bump forget. "Hello, Bump. I'm gonna take really good care of you. Gonna show you the sky, and the trees, and my drawings. Jacob is your other big brother. He takes care of me, I'm sure he'll take care of you, too." Another kick to Joseph's cheek proved Bump was listening. "The whole world is yours, Bump. Don't you worry about anything. We won't ever leave you." </p>
<p>A sound behind Joseph startled him, but it was just Jake. Joe knew that Jake hadn't slept yet as his long red hair was still slicked back, and he hadn't changed out of his jeans and into his boxers.</p>
<p>"Come on, Joe. Leave mother be, and get some kip. Pop will be home soon." Jacob whispered.</p>
<p>"I'm comin'. Can I tell Bump a bedtime story?"</p>
<p>Jake shook his head, smacking his lips together in annoyance. He looked over his shoulder, listening for any sounds of father, and apparently not hearing any, Jake nodded his head at Joe. "Quickly."</p>
<p>Joseph nodded, smiling at his big brother before Jacob disappeared down the hall.</p>
<p>"Come on, Bump. This'll help you sleep. Once, there was an apple. It was rosy red, and sweet as the sweetest candy. It lived its life growing big and strong, until one day, mother nature decided that it should drop onto the grass, where it would be picked up and eaten by children. The apple dropped to the ground, and rolled around and around, but it was too big, and rolled down a slope, away from the other apples and into a dark wood."</p>
<p>Joseph shifted himself, listening for their father. Nothing. And mother was still asleep.</p>
<p>"The apple swirled and twirled in the leaves and ashes, a clear difference between itself and the deadness of life in the wood. It stopped eventually, and sat sad and alone, knowing it'll never get picked. But a day later, a big beautiful blackbird swooped down and plucked up the apple, taking it high up into the sky, above the woods, above the apple orchard, away from everything the apple had ever known, and into the clouds."</p>
<p>A solid kick against Joseph's ear. Bump always liked that bit of the story.</p>
<p>"The apple was happy, and then it was scared. Where was the blackbird going? Would the apple be dropped to be broken into tiny chunks of apples? But the blackbird landed on this tall mountain, high up into the sky, almost grazing the heavens themselves. The apple was placed down gently, and the blackbird dug a hole, and dropped the apple into the hole, shifting dirt above the apple, and then flew far away, never to be seen again. The apple was frightened. It was dark down here. But as days grew into weeks, the apple felt something shift inside itself, and eventually, the apple seed started to grow, and grow, and grow. The apple tree burst through the ground, splitting high off into the sky, able to see everything about it. And children came from far and wide to pick apples from this beautiful apple tree that reached off into the clouds. They could swear the apples tasted sweeter than any they'd ever tasted before. The children sat beneath the apple tree, and shared stories, and told jokes. And the apple tree finally felt like a part of God's world. Connected. Forever growing. Forever sharing with the children that would grow, and then bring children of their own back to the apple tree. Forever. The End."</p>
<p>"There you go, Bump. Now get some rest, you need to grow big and strong. We'll take care of you even if you aren't. Love ya, Bump." Joseph softly kissed the blanket, then quickly dropped off the bed, leaving the warmth behind, and rushed off down the hall to his shared bedroom with Jacob.</p>
<p>Hopping over a few misplaced army trucks and figures of dinosaurs, Joe climbed into his bottom bunk, quickly wrapping the threadbare blanket over himself.</p>
<p>"What story you tell it this time, kid?" A gruff voice from above asked.</p>
<p>"The apple story. It likes the bit with the bird."</p>
<p>"Yea, that's a good one. You wanna sneak out to the forest tomorrow after school?"</p>
<p>"But dad sai..."</p>
<p>"Forget about him. Let me sort that bastard out. You wanna go or not?"</p>
<p>"Yeah... yes, please, Jake. I'll make sure to pack my sketch pad."</p>
<p>"Good. Get some sleep, Joe. We're gonna need it once Bump grows into somethin' loud."</p>
<p>"Night, Jake."</p>
<p>"Night, Joe. Don't snore too much."</p>
<p>Joseph giggled, and wrapped himself up, best he could. It was freezing in their house, their room especially. Joseph rarely noticed anymore when Jacob waited until he fell asleep to drop his own blanket on top of him. He just tucked himself further into the collapsed mattress, and dreamt of other, warmer places with his big brother. </p>
<p>The next morning, Joe awoke to a crash. He could hear Jake and their father screaming at each other again. It didn't used to bother Joseph, but since Bump had grown into a noticeable bump, he had asked Jake to ease off their father. To calm down a little. Just to avoid each other if possible. </p>
<p>A slam of the front door shook Joe out of his mind, and he climbed out of bed, immediately stepping onto a hard plastic dinosaur. He was usually more careful, not to leave toys and clothes about, but had been distracted by Bump.</p>
<p>A smear of blood on the grotty wooden floor made Joe shake his head, and go off in search of plasters. He peeked out of the door, careful to avoid their father in case it was Jacob who had left, slamming the door behind him. But, thankfully, all he saw was Jake further up in the kitchen, crouched down and furiously shoving cheerios from the spilled milk floor and into a bloody hand. Joe eased his way down the short hallway, careful not to leave more blood stains on the wood beneath him.</p>
<p>Jake looked up when Joe entered, the glare on his features softened for a second before realising that Joseph was limping.</p>
<p>"Whatcha go an do now?"</p>
<p>"Stepped on T-Rex."</p>
<p>Jacob shook his head, tipping the cheerios into the bin, then washing his hands of cereal crumbs, milk, and blood.</p>
<p>"Careful where you step. We haven't got enough plasters for three wounds. Sit." Jacob pulled away from the sink, drying his hands and bloodying up a tea towel before nodding to a chair, further in the kitchen.</p>
<p>Joseph sat, watching as his big brother dragged a drawer open, rustling through to pull out two ratty plasters. He took care of his own wound first. Joseph didn't question where he got it from. Nobody ever left a meeting with their pop without some kind of physical or mental wound.</p>
<p>Jacob then grabbed at Joe's foot, lifting it onto his lap, and got to work cleaning and wiping before putting the plaster on. </p>
<p>Dropping Joe's ankle to the ground, carefully, Jacob ruffled his hair, then ran back to their room, and put a clean sock over the plaster.</p>
<p>"Now, be more careful. Alright? I can't pick up anymore plasters until I can steal them from the nurse's office."</p>
<p>"Mmkay. Can I please watch cartoons after waking up Bump?"</p>
<p>"Fine. I'll bring your cheerios in. Don't wake ma."</p>
<p>Joe scooted off the chair, and shuffled quickly with his one sock trying to pick up a bit of a slide on the way up the hallway.</p>
<p>Reaching his parents bedroom, Joe tiptoed inside watching for any warning of his mother's awakening, but she just lay there. As usual. More recently as not, she had taken to disappearing inside of herself, barely aware of her sons anymore, and certainly not excited about the new life growing inside of her.</p>
<p>Joseph hopped up on the edge of the bed, listening to Bump once more.</p>
<p>"Come on, Bump. A new day has arrived. Up and at em." Joe giggled, prodding the bump gently and waiting for inevitable kick that followed.</p>
<p>But Bump was quiet today. Joseph prodded again. Nothing.</p>
<p>Oh well, even Bumps need a lie in. </p>
<p>Joe scooted out the door, pulling it quietly behind him, and skidded his way to the couch. Tom and Jerry was on, it must be early.</p>
<p>A good two minutes after sitting down, Jake appeared, shoving Joseph up a bit so he could pull his leg to his chest while he ate. His big brother was all limbs. With a bowl of cheerios in their laps, with milk that was only slightly off, they ate away, only occasionally elbowing each other to spill their milk in brotherly teasing.</p>
<p>They left that day, splitting off to different classes within the same school. The odd clash in the hallway, with light ruffling of the hair (Jake), and pinching of pencils and running as fast as his legs could carry him (Joseph). They weren't usually this playful. Forest days always riled them up.</p>
<p>They didn't bother going home after school. Bump wasn't ready yet, and their mom would just lie down with her feet up, not saying a word to either of them. Their father... better left to be forgotten. </p>
<p>Pissed? Yes.<br/>
Drunk? Yes.<br/>
Whatever.</p>
<p>Jacob helped Joe over the broken wall beside the liquor store, then clambered over himself. They followed the same route, climbing over the recognisable rocks and trunks that littered their path. Joseph carried his sketch book close to his chest, the pencil tucked carefully behind his ear with one extra stuffed in his sock, while Jacob carried his and Joseph's backpack over his shoulder. Joe never asked, Jacob merely took. </p>
<p>They stopped at the first rock, Jacob simply brushing his fingers along the trees, setting small traps that rarely caught anything, or watching the beasts shift back and forth in the distance. Joseph got his sketch book open, briskly turning to an empty page, and just started getting the rough idea on something that could be perfected later. They knew this location, and there was barely anything that they could stay for hours for. Joseph only realised a couple of years back that Jake just wanted to spend as much time as they could out here, in their own forest.</p>
<p>The second location was better. The river. They loved the river. Jacob could fish here, naturally climbing onto a tall boulder, one that Joe knew he could NEVER even attempt to climb, and tugging a ball of twine out of his pocket. Bait was a little thin in the dirt in this cold weather, but Jake could catch without. It was just a little tougher.</p>
<p>Joseph usually took his time sketching his brother while he waited, hopefully without him realising. Joe wasn't the best at hands. He was better at claws and paws and fins and wings. Hands already looked weird in real life before he sketched them.</p>
<p>After an hour or so, the sun was setting on their short trip out. The two brothers looked at each other, knowing they'd much rather stay here, but Jake had been certain he'd seen a wolf out here one time, so it was better that they just make their way back. They'd spend more time here over the weekend, Jacob promised. He had found a promising location further up. With extra carp, and catfish, and bass. They'd have a real feast. Light up a fire and everything.</p>
<p>And a real life fire ant hill. No joke!</p>
<p>Joseph couldn't wait to sketch that. </p>
<p>By the time they had made it to the wall, it was dark. The ripped up concrete and layers of dirt and faeces lit up mockingly by yellow halos of trembling light. </p>
<p>They didn't belong here, they both knew it. Or maybe they did belong here, and they wish they didn't know it. </p>
<p>Making their way through their neighbour, Joseph kept his eyes down, while Jacob challenged everyone who dared to look their way.</p>
<p>An unfamiliar vehicle was parked outside their home. </p>
<p>Screaming from inside.</p>
<p>But it was different. It wasn't their mother, they knew their mother's screams, and their father couldn't be home yet... The scream was almost tinny. But loud, so loud.</p>
<p>Jacob burst through the front door, Joe hot on his heels, to find a strange woman covered in blood. She was smiling brightly, brighter than any woman had smiled in this home. </p>
<p>Jacob barged past her, while Joseph stood by the front door. Not sure what to do with himself.</p>
<p>The woman rested a damp but clean hand on Joseph's shoulder, bending down a touch to be eye to eye. </p>
<p>"You're a big brother now. Take care of him."</p>
<p>Then she left, getting into the unfamiliar vehicle and driving into the night. Joseph shut the front door, daring to go through the hall to the softer cries that awaited him.</p>
<p>Blood... there was so much blood. More than he'd ever seen before. His mother was lying down in the middle of the kitchen floor, the table pushed aside. She looked away, that wasn't unusual. What was unusual was the small bundle of white dotted with streaks of red blanket, that had a tiny arm with an even tinier hand reaching out, grasping at Jacob's thumb.</p>
<p>Jake was knelt amongst the blood, not at all bothered by it, and was simply lifting and dropping his fingers in a teasing act of challenge to the tiny human in his arms. </p>
<p>Tiny human?</p>
<p>BUMP!!</p>
<p>Joseph couldn't figure out why it took so long to figure this out. His mother had given birth, and to a... what did that strange woman say?... a HIM?! A boy, a baby boy. A baby BROTHER. Joe was a big brother to a little brother.</p>
<p>Bump was real! He was here. Never to leave again.</p>
<p>Joseph bounced over to Jacob, dropping his sketch book to the side as he peered over Jake's shoulder. Blue! His eyes were so blue. A splash of dark hair atop his head, little chubby arms now currently reaching for the fingers Joseph tentatively reached out. Movement under the blankets from the tiny legs. Pudgy belly. Scrunched up nose, and no teeth. Not a ONE. This was a baby. No doubt. </p>
<p>A tear hit the baby on the cheek, causing the baby to babble. Joe thought it was his, but it was Jacob's who quickly wiped his face on his shoulder, still supporting the baby.</p>
<p>"Shit, Joe. You hold him."</p>
<p>Joseph didn't know how to. With whispered mutterings of "Support the head, support the head." Jacob passed the baby to Joseph. </p>
<p>Joseph clutched the baby, whos tiny fist was currently bonking himself on the nose. </p>
<p>"Hi Bump. You grew up. Look at you. You're beautiful."</p>
<p>A tear ran down his face, closely followed by more as they clashed with Jacob's tear on the baby's cheek. That made Joseph cry even more. </p>
<p>They were truly connected. Three brothers. Family. They would survive this world. Take it on, if they have to. </p>
<p>Together forever.</p>
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